SLO Food Bank
Coalition of San Luis Obispo County
The BackPack Program
At the end of every week during the school year, children from low-income families in over a dozen SLO County elementary schools go home with backpacks full of food. Enough to share with a sibling or two, selections each week may include:
- Peanuts and other nuts
- Raisins and small cans of fruit
- Cereal, non-perishable milk and juice
- Ready-to-eat lunches
- Crackers and snacks
The food we provide is attractively packaged and appealing to children. We choose foods that are easy for kids to open and use, as many of their parents work on the weekends.
Volunteers from each school select the children to participate and distribute the backpacks each week. The kids return with empty backpacks on Monday, feeling good and ready to learn.
The BackPack Program is one of the most expensive programs the Food Bank Coalition operates. Costs include the relatively high price of packaged food, the backpacks (which normally need replacing at least every year) fuel for delivery and administrative costs.
If you would like to help fund the BackPack Program, click to make a donation now.
To nominate a school, give us a call at 238-4664.